Just Getting By Doesn't Fly

A few weeks ago, my wife and I were returning to Phoenix - southbound on I-17 on a Sunday evening at about 8:30 p.m.. The traffic started to get heavy outside of New River but it was still moving at 60+ mph as we came down off a pretty steep grade.

As we made the last curve near the bottom a multitude of red brake lights appeared in front of us and I pumped our brakes to alert the vehicles behind us. Our Tundra and 2720Sl had slowed to about 50 mph and from my right lane I glanced into my driver's side outside mirror.
A pair of headlights came round the curve behind us in the left lane, moving at a very high rate of speed, and rocketed towards the slowing traffic. The driver was not slowing down at all and was oblivious to all the red brake lights.

I'm not good at math but that night my brain calc'd speed and distance in that 1-2 second glance in the mirror. I knew the crash was inevitable, that it would likely engulf us, and that I had to instantly vacate the right lane.
So at about 50 mph I swerved the Tundra hard & I mean hard - onto the shoulder to add some space between us and adjacent left lane. My wife looked right at me as her head bounced off the passenger window to see what I had just done. Just feet to the side of my driver's door she saw a small car go beneath a white pickup and saw the explosion of parts.

She screamed, called 911, reported the crash, gave her name, then started to cry. We were untouched but could not stop to assist because we were still moving and others cars had come through the crash zone behind us. I'm honestly not sure how I could have assisted other than being the first to get the call out.

For years on this forum, I've learned the importance of having the right TV and hitch setup. I want to thank all of you for your sage advice -- probably you Bill most of all. I listened !

I know there are some who are taking an awful chance with their lives, the lives of their families, and others on the road. You think you're safe cause you are still just under the limit of your TV's tow capacity. But every time you pull your rig down the road at speed -- you're rolling the dice. The odds become even less in your favor if you drive mountain grades. If you don't have the right setup with a good margin of error -- maybe using only 80% of your TV's towing capacity with a proper hitch setup you may not survive an emergency maneuver. I always drive fully alert yet I had few survival options or escape routes that night. Jerk your TV & TM off the road in an extreme maneuver and you may lose control. Think you'll never be required to make an emergency maneuver -- you better think again.

We know the freeway was shut down for a long time. When we got home we recorded all the news channels on our DVR and watched each station to try and learn the fate of the drivers but nothing was reported. Our hope and prayer is that everyone survived the crash.

I actually had perfect control in this awful moment. Even though the crash occurred just feet from my door -- I never saw it. I was too busy trying to control my vehicle and trailer through the crash zone. I hope you do too if your moment ever comes. Please don't roll the dice with the lives of your loved ones. They deserve your very best.

Wishing you safe travels, Eric

[TrailManorMan]

Glad you are safe.

[Redtail Cruiser]

Great "reality check" story, Eric. Glad you and your family OK.

[davlin]

Eric,

So glad that you and your wife are OK. I think your quick thinking saved you. I like to think that sometimes much of what happens in those two or three brief seconds is out of the hands of us mere mortals; we just do the best we can and hope.

I like to tow at never more than 75% of what a vehicle manufacturer states is "tow capacity," but I have more than one towing friend who swears that 60% is about right.

Dave

[hillbillyhotel]

Eric
tks for sharing , so glad all worked in that moment ..
just a good reminder to drive with our heads on a swivel ,
and set yourself up for when it happens with the right equipment, we only get one chance

[MarkoPolo]

Eric,
Your story is exactly the kind of situation that being too close to the margin could be fatal. I 100% agree that you need some extra room for performance in an emergency. Thanks for sharing and glad you are OK.

[mecicon]

"Within the limits", at "the margins", "near capacity", and "close enough."

Thanks for sharing, I hope we all remember the next time some new user comes on and asks about towing with...

[Padgett]

GT it is a much a credit to your ability to react instantly including a thought to traffic behind and the foresight to have prepared your system to be the best possible.

The reason the gov demanded TIPS is because so many people were driving with essentially flat tires and that was more for MPG than safety.

Also too many people are driving while juggling a phone/text/sat-nav/radio - suspect in the near future with flight recorders in every new car having a GPS and time hack, subpeonaing cell phone & data records will become common in bad accidents.

Used to be having a TV visible by the driver while moving was illegal. Wonder what happened ?

Have learned the value of driving at what I consider a safe speed and with equipment that can perform better than new. I get passed a lot particularly when towing. Doesn't bother me.

We should have awards for people who avoid situations and you should receive one.

[Redtail Cruiser]

Not TIPS, Treasurey Inflation Protected Securities.
You meant TPMS, Tire Pressure Monitoring System.
Now others will know what you are saying.
You're welcome

[mecicon]

Originally Posted by Padgett

We should have awards for people who avoid situations and you should receive one.

We do, it's called lower insurance premiums and you live longer (in most cases).